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Former Police Chief, Business, Community Leaders on Panel Looking to Stem Gun Violence in Birmingham

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Birmingham Times
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Former Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper, the first African American to achieve the U.S. Army Reserve General ranking. (Roy Johnson, AL.com)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin on Tuesday announced an advisory commission made up of business, community and criminal justice leaders including former Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper to identify ways to reduce homicides in the city.

The commission will be co-chaired by Ralph Williams Jr., vice president of Alabama Power’s Birmingham Division, and Lee Styslinger III, co-chairman of Altec Inc.

The city appears to be nearing a record number of homicides. There have been 130 so far this year in Birmingham. Of those incidents, nine have been ruled justified. The city’s modern record for homicides is 148 in 1933.

The commission’s focus is on quick assembly of information on strategies and programs that have helped other cities and jurisdictions reduce crime and especially homicides, according to the city. The goal is to have an initial report before the end of the year.

“We all feel a sense of urgency and share the mayor’s belief that these senseless killings must come to an end,” Roper said. “We will be looking for best practices that are working elsewhere and what has the best chance to make a difference in Birmingham.”

Roper served at the BPD helm from 2007 through November 2017 when he announced his retirement following the first-term election of Woodfin, who asked all department heads to reapply for their positions.

Roper, the first African American to achieve the U.S Army Reserve Lieutenant General ranking brings “instant credibility … which this commission is going to need,” Woodfin told AL.com.

“He’s been at the top of the police department and the top of the Army. That relates to his ability to assess and investigate—to look under the hood and synthesize information related to people, places, and issues surrounding gun violence. It was a no-brainer,” the mayor said.

During a press conference Tuesday. the retired Lt. General said, “the bottom line is this homicide issues is a wicked problem… It’s complex, it’s resistance to change and resistance to common solutions. The commission’s work is to really get out there and dig into successful programs that are occurring across the nation and bring those back to Birmingham. I look forward to advising and supporting this commission. It is made up of an amazing team of people. I think together, we can build a vision and a future for a safer Birmingham.”

The commission will include community members and leaders, including Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr, Jefferson County Health Officer David Hicks, and Jefferson County Circuit Judges Michael Streety and Shanta Owens in addition to Roper.

From left, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond; Arnee Odoms, communications manager at Birmingham Promise and Former Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper. (Sym Posey, The Birmingham Times)

“While we are working diligently with law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal level, the violence afflicting our city is ultimately an issue that we must address together as a community,” Woodfin said. “This group brings together a variety of perspectives — from law enforcement to our churches, companies, and nonprofits — all focused on what we can do in the short-term and over the long-term to address the gun violence that has resulted in far too many broken hearts and lost lives.”

In addition to Roper, Williams, Styslinger, District Attorney Carr, Dr. Hicks, Judge Streety and Judge Owens, other commission members include:

  • Leroy Abrahams, executive vice president at Regions Bank
  • Tracey Morant Adams, senior executive vice president at Renasant Bank
  • Chris Anderson, Chief of Police at Talladega College
  • Emory Anthony, attorney
  • Frank Barefield, chair, CrimeStoppers of Metro Alabama
  • Thomas Beavers, pastor at New Rising Star Church
  • Patrick Davis, Special Agent in Charge at U.S. Secret Service – Birmingham Field Office
  • Monique Grier, director, Jefferson County Youth Detention Center
  • Jeff Kerby, director of UAB’s Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
  • Phillip Harris, Vestavia Police Department, Birmingham Police Detective (retired)
  • Carnelle Howell, senior managing director at Howell Consulting
  • Jamey McMahon, chair of Ligon Industries
  • Chris Nanni, CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham
  • Arnee Odoms, communications manager at Birmingham Promise
  • Bo Walters, President, Dunn Construction

Magic City Fashion Week Begins Oct. 17 in Birmingham. Here’s What to Expect

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Birmingham Times
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Each season of Magic City Fashion Week includes an emerging designer competition fashion show as the main event. (File)

By Ameera Steward | The Birmingham Times

When one thinks of Magic City Fashion Week, they should picture the excitement of the New York Fashion Week scene with the art, creativity, and overall magic of Birmingham.

Founded in 2017 to cultivate, connect, showcase, and provide economic opportunity to Birmingham’s creative community through fashion, MCFW emphasizes the development of emerging designers while fostering engagement with community partners to utilize fashion as a vehicle for change.

With this goal in mind each season includes an emerging designer competition fashion show as the main event where emerging designers showcase their collections to a group of judges who then choose a winner who is usually given a prize as well as mentorship to officially present their collection to a wider audience.

This year’s fashion week starts tomorrow [Oct. 17] with the following events:

On Thursday Oct. 17 at the Haute Pink fundraiser for Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center ten breast cancer survivors will walk the runway sporting designs created by 10 Birmingham designers. Among the designers are MCFW Season One winner Kenya B. and Season Four designer Julie Maeselle. The event will be held at Red Mountain Theatre at 7 p.m., and tickets are $100.

On Friday Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. the Emerging Designers Competition will be held at Events at Haven where five designers will showcase their work. These five designers are Azani Winters, Darryl Peoples, Derrick Kern, Moochie Kearri, and Sara Cox – get to know more about each of these designers below.

On Saturday, Oct. 19 at 12 p.m. the Birmingham fashion community will come together for “The Future is Ours” march promoting visibility and advocacy for artists in Birmingham. They will meet at the Rainbow Bridge serving as a symbol of unity and progress. At 7 pm located at Events at Haven, Alabama Goodwill, hat-designer Marshaun Brown, and Splashed by DKG designer Daniel Grier will present their most recent collections for MCFW’s The Future is Ours showcase.

MCFW ends Sunday Oct. 20 with their Sustainable Shopping Day where participants can shop curated collections at Goodwill Alabama from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

“We’re all about…building community, getting people together to have a good time,” said Daniel Grier, MCFW president and CEO.

Season Five Emerging Designers

Each season of MCFW includes an emerging designer competition fashion show as the main event where emerging designers showcase their collections to a group of judges who then choose a winner who is usually given a prize as well as mentorship to officially present their collection to a wider audience.

This year’s event will be held on Friday Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in Events at Haven in Birmingham.

Here is a quick glance at each designer and what they will be bringing to the runway:

Sara Cox

Born and raised in Nashville, Tenn., Cox plans to bring romance to the MCFW runway with her debut sustainable bridal collection.

With sustainability at the forefront of her brand B More Than, Cox designs upcycled clothing for all sizes and genders with a knack for unique designs that help reduce the effects of fast fashion on the environment.

The 35-year-old’s love for fashion and design began at the age of seven when her grandmother, Virginia Waters who is now 92 years old, taught her how to sew. And with her new found skills, she started creating clothes for her dolls and then for herself, “things that I didn’t have or couldn’t have or whatever…didn’t exist.”

“It was just a really fulfilling hobby of mine,” Cox continued.

After a decade of designing and manufacturing, she started her brand B More in 2023 as a passion project, repurposing thrifted items into costumes and clothing for herself.

“It was through my experience in the fashion industry that my eyes were opened to the waste issues plaguing [the industry]. Most people do not know that [the fashion industry] is the world’s third largest contributor to environmental waste,” Cox explained.

“This was a driving factor in my mission that I produced through B More Than should be from existing textiles — secondhand clothing and fabrics, vintage and deadstock fabrics, and repurposed notions such as buttons and zippers whenever possible,” she added. “The name itself comes from the idea that anything can be more than it was originally intended to be.”

MCFW has a partnership with The University of Alabama (UA) – Cox’s alma mater – dedicated to mentoring young designers. One of her former professors encouraged her to apply to the Emerging Designers competition after learning about her brand.

Cox’s bridal collection for the competition will incorporate things such as vintage lace tablecloths. “Something that was a curtain can actually be a wedding dress…it can be so much more than we think.”

When searching through vintage stores and estate sales she comes across many wedding dresses and is always pondering on the fact that people buy wedding dresses for so much money to only wear it once, Cox added.

“We’re wasting so much textile when we could be making more use of it,” Cox said. “They’re beautiful…so why not [repurpose them].”

Derrick Kern

Born and raised in Aurora, Col., 20-year-old Kern found his love for fashion design through the realization that his parents couldn’t afford the clothes he wished he had.

In 2022, after graduating from Vista Peak High School [Aurora, Col.] he asked himself, “‘why don’t I just make my clothes. [I] might as well wear what I want to create in this life.”

“I taught myself how to create the designs and then found a manufacturer to help produce the items,” Kern explained.

As a result, in 2023 his streetwear brand ‘Key to Life is Love’ was born.

“My mission is to make everybody happy with my clothing and…eventually make it more accessible and more affordable to kids who can’t afford it,” Kern said. “I come from a place of not always having the best stuff, but now that I’m in a better place I want to create an even better future for the youth, and people who really like my designs.”

That same year, while selling his designs at the Black Arts Festival in Denver, a recurring customer told him that his work needed to be seen and described MCFW. After hearing about it, Kern and his mother rushed home to do more research leading to his participation in this year’s Emerging Designer Competition.

Kern will be presenting a new take on the distressed look of clothing to the MCFW crowd. He added that the focus of his designs will be on “enabling fashion enthusiasts to consider sustainability by retrofitting [add (a component or accessory) to something that did not have it when manufactured] existing items and mixing them with new items that have pops of color and different fabrics.”

“I’m excited…to show people what I have coming and…my unique designs,” he said. “I wouldn’t have expected stuff to change so fast…we went through hard times…but you have to go through hard times to get to the best times. It’s a big…change in life, and I’m just excited for the opportunity.”

Darryl Peoples

To those who have followed MCFW, the name Darryl Peoples may sound familiar. In 2022 he participated in the Emerging Designers Competition, however he did not win.

“I did want to take the opportunity to give it another try,” said the 30-year-old. “My approach is different…what I’m looking forward to this time is just…[to] stand on business. I feel like this is the opportunity for me to show the world.”

Growing up in Bessemer, AL he was always into fashion as a child – specifically shoes. However, what really sparked his design process was the fact that it became an outlet for him in 2018 when he was suffering from mental health issues.

“I was considered to be suicidal at the age of nine when I was admitted into a mental facility,” Peoples explained. “I started seeking help on my own at the age of 23, and now I am a mental health advocate.”

His official fashion career began in 2015 when he worked as a fashion model for Alexander Jean Co. In the midst of his three-year modeling career, Peoples realized that working behind the scenes with different designers piqued his interest even more than modeling.

He learned the basics of sewing from the late Dalvert Casselberry of Bush Hill Tailors in Birmingham and used YouTube to learn new techniques. Through these methods of learning he was able to acquire the skills needed for reading patterns, constructing patterns, and constructing garments.

Once he decided to try his hand at working on the design side, “I realized that was an outlet for me … I feel like fashion is the way that I can express myself through my work because it’s hard for me to actually talk to people.”

In 2018 Peoples started his brand Hera Ru Creations where he designs corporate wear with men and women in mind. From suits to t-shirts, his mission is to inspire those struggling with mental health issues by reminding his customers to “live in the moment” and to showcase “you can be [in] corporate America and still be you.”

For this year’s emerging designer competition Peoples said expect a collection that embodies strength, resilience, and confidence. With the theme of ‘standing on business,’ his collection is dedicated to showcasing a bold, professional aesthetic with timeless black and white pieces.

“Each look is designed to make a statement – clean lines, strong silhouettes, and classic colors that convey authority and purpose,” Peoples said.

“Imagine if you could write the rules and stand firmly on them. This collection is about doing just that…it’s a fusion of sophistication and empowerment, perfect for anyone ready to take charge and make their presence known.”

Jordon Washington

Known as Moochie Kearri, Washington is a 24-year-old designer who specializes in creating eclectic accessories such as jewelry and handbags through her brand Kermochi.

Born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Washington dates her love for fashion to fifth grade [at Englewood Elementary School in Tuscaloosa] when she would sketch dresses with matching earrings. And after noticing Washington’s love for fashion, her grandmother Mary Johnson taught her to hand sew.

And during her sixth-grade year, her grandmother bought her a sewing machine. “That’s [when] I taught myself how to sew on a sewing machine,” she said.

Although fashion remained in her heart throughout her adolescence, it wasn’t until 2018 when she started her brand Kermochi.

“I just [felt] like if I’m going to be designing the clothes, I want them to be put out in the way that they are in my mind. And I want to be in charge of everything,” Washington said. “So…I was like let me start my own business…something about just receiving money off of your talents or…your ambition has always been a thing to drive me.”

A mix between her nickname, Moochie, and her middle name, Kearri, Kemochi was designed with Washington’s personal style in mind, as well as others like her with “distinguished, eclectic styles.”

Inspired by “God’s artistic eye,” Washington’s designs incorporate aspects of nature such as bugs.

“When I think of myself as a designer and…an artist, I don’t think I really fit into a box…or…what people think a designer should design…or [how a designer should] look,” she said. “My mission is to stand out and actually be that person…[people] see…[and] they’re influenced, they’re inspired.”

In 2022, Washington assisted Daniel Grier, President and CEO of MCFW, for one of his fashion shows because she didn’t feel prepared to have her own. This gave her insight into what happens behind the scenes and how a show is orchestrated.

As a result of her new knowledge, she felt ready to apply to be a designer this year. With the Emerging Designers Competition being her first runway show, Washington plans to bring an element of storytelling, exploring the art of escapism.

Through her designs she will illustrate “a place in my mind … [titled] ‘Blue Sun,’” she said.

Washington explained that she plans to showcase “looks very avant garde … expect something that you’ve never seen before…I want them to get that I’m here to make [my] mark.”

Azani Winters

Born and raised in Birmingham, Azani Winters’ love for fashion and design stemmed from old Hollywood movies such as ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.’ She said she and her mother were “definitely obsessed.”

“The classic silhouettes [and] the very feminine silhouettes [sparked her interests],” she said. “I love a good corset…a good dress to show off the feminine figure. Everything about that is just so gorgeous to me.”

In addition to Hollywood movies, Winters said over time she developed her own style and started to do more research and watched fashion shows to figure out how she could actually get into the fashion industry and be successful.

Around the age of 12 her mother gave Winters her old sewing machine and the manual. Winters said she took the machine apart to learn the inner workings and the mechanics, and taught herself how to sew.

She went on to study at the Savannah College of Art and Design, first the Atlanta location and then the Savannah location in Georgia. However, in 2017 she couldn’t finish due to personal reasons and said she had no idea where her journey would take her next.

After years of attempting to make her mark, this year she finally decided to just do what she always wanted to do – start a brand. And with that realization Azani Winters, LLC was born.

Through her brand, Winters specializes in dress making – specifically evening wear.

“I’m very particular…I pay a lot of attention to detail when it comes to the fit of a garment. So when I make…something, it’s going to fit you, it’s going to be for you…for your body type,” said explained. “I take a lot of pride in that.”

And that’s what she plans to bring to the MCFW runway – old Hollywood dresses specifically made for the model strutting it.

“I am the person that has been put in a box,” Winters said. “I put myself in a box…it was very hard for me to even put myself out there.” But with what she is presenting at the Emerging Designers Competition being her debut collection, Winters is excited to finally give birth to creations.

Season Five Emerging Designers, Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in Events at Haven in Birmingham.

Edited at 9:48 p.m. on 10/16/2024 to corrected spelling of name.

‘I Pulled Out the Ring, Got on My Knee and Asked Her to Be My Wife’

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Birmingham Times
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BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special to the Birmingham Times

STACI & UNDREZ LAWRENCE

Live: Helena

Married: July 7, 2017

Met: February 2016, at the athletic complex in Pleasant Grove. Both were divorcees and had mixed feelings about pursuing new relationships.

“It was opening day at the field [at Pleasant Grove Park] for softball and baseball and I saw Undrez at a distance and inquired about him,” Staci recalled. “I asked ‘Who’s that guy in the khaki shorts, what’s his story, is he taken?’, and a mutual friend [Danitra Blevins] said I’ll find out because I think the two of you would be a good match. And she went over and found out he was unattached.”

Undrez passed word through their mutual friend that he would find Staci and meet her after the softball game. After meeting, her he was taken by her aura and became nervous and tongue-tied.

“I had never experienced someone’s aura and the goodness in them before. I was so nervous that when I asked for her number I used a pen and paper and people around me were like you know you could’ve used your cell phone right?,” Undrez laughed.

He called two days later and “I asked her out to lunch,” he said. “She agreed and when the day of the lunch date came, she decided not to go.”

“I wanted to meet someone new, but I still had noise [loose ends] in the background,” Staci said.

The pair continued to talk and developed a friendship that led to talking on the phone every day. Eventually, Staci expressed having feelings for Undrez, but still had those loose ends to cut to which Undrez replied ‘I’m not going anywhere’.”

“After my divorce and [subsequent] relationships, I reflected on the ones that thrived were the ones where the woman approached me, and I prayed and told God that for me to pursue another wife, she would basically have to tap me on the shoulder. And Staci did approach me so I took that as a sign, and that’s why I chose to be patient and tell her I wasn’t going anywhere,” he said.

First date: May 2016, Undrez accompanied Staci to a graduation party for a friend who had just completed a Ph.D. and threw a semi-formal celebration at the Bessemer Civic Center. Staci had finally tied up her “loose end” and was ready to spend an evening with Undrez.

“We had a good time getting dressed up and stepping out, Staci said. “He was a great date, we laughed. He’s a people person, he didn’t know anybody there and that didn’t matter, he wasn’t intimidated by not knowing anyone there and that was attractive. We already had good communication so it was easy to be with him.”

“I was very excited about the date because this was one of the first times we were going to be in each other’s presence, this was our chance to interact with each other firsthand. She picked me up for the date and I remember getting into her SUV and her perfume smelled wonderful. Her hair was in an updo, and she wore a black and white dress…. I felt good about the date because she was comfortable being amongst her friends. I actually ended up knowing a few people there and it afforded [she and I] some time together in a comfortable space,” Undrez said.

Staci and Undrez Lawrence met in 2016 at the athletic complex in Pleasant Grove. The couple married in July 2017. (Provided Photos)

The turn: The couple became exclusive that spring and dated for a few months until taking a break in November, but quickly got back together the following month.

“In December [2016] Undrez asked me to go on a beach trip with him and we stayed at a beach house, and one evening we were sitting outside looking at the ocean and being expressive about our feelings for each other and what we wanted out of one another, and it was in that moment, I saw him for him and it sealed it for me. He was my man, and that was it for me,” Staci said.

“It was like a therapy session without a therapist,” Undrez said. “As much as we had talked over the months, we were very raw at that time about our feelings and how we felt. …Staci was finally truly vulnerable with me and she finally got the assurance she needed to move forward,” Undrez said. “I was patient in my pursuit because she was slow rolling it,” he laughed, “but it was in that talk that we said let’s do it, let’s give ourselves to one another.”

The proposal: March 25, 2017, at the Cheesecake Factory at the Summit. Undrez had planned a surprise proposal with family and friends in attendance.

“I had secretly invited our immediate family and close friends. I had arranged for a dozen roses to be at the restaurant and Staci had no idea our friends and family would be there. But when we got there she saw them and thought they were there to celebrate her becoming a licensed realtor, and her pending initiation into Delta Sigma Theta. At the table, I proposed a toast and listed those things. I said, ‘I want to toast to Staci’s achievements… and there’s one other thing that I would like for us to toast to,’ and that was when the roses came out and I pulled out the ring and got on my knee and asked her to be my wife. She said ‘yes’, and the restaurant applauded.”

“When he did it you could see in my face that I had no idea it was coming,” Staci said. “It was like ‘you’re doing this right now here today?’,” she laughed. “I was excited and over the moon that he thought to invite friends and family to share in that moment,” Staci said.

The wedding: On the beach in Destin, Florida, officiated by a provided clergyman. Their colors were turquoise and white.

Most memorable for the bride was “having our daughters by our sides. We didn’t have a wedding party, but we had our daughters, London, Undrez’s daughter, and Ariana, Staci’s daughter, who were 11 and 10, respectively, walk down the aisle with us, and it was so memorable to have our girls right there by our sides as we blended our family,” Staci.

Most memorable for the groom was the weather. “It stormed that afternoon and our wedding was at 6, and by the time our wedding started, it was beautiful outside. So much so, the photographer stated that she had ‘perfect light’ and was so inspired by the scene on the beach and the beautiful colors in the sky, that she took far more pictures than [included in the package]. Our guests also took it among themselves to wear pops of turquoise in their clothing, it wasn’t planned so everything just came together perfectly,” Undrez said.

They honeymooned in New Orleans. “We got a chance to really take in New Orleans, we immersed ourselves in the culture of the city by doing tours and going deeper into the city and learning about landmarks and post-Katrina. It was our honeymoon, but we got to learn more about a city we both love,” said Staci.

Words of wisdom: “Communication is supreme. Always keep the lines open between the two of you. And what really keeps the spark alive is traveling. It offers a reset and a reflection period for the two of us, setting ourselves aside from the day-to-day and just reconnecting,” Staci said.

“I second the communication part, don’t be afraid to have those open and candid conversations. We allow ourselves to be silly around one another. Staci is my best friend, it started in 2016, I can confide in her and she in me, it’s just like having those conversations over the phone. Being spontaneous and being silly around each other is what keeps us going,” said Undrez.

Happily ever after: The Lawrences attend Living Stones Temple in Fultondale, and are a blended family with three children: London, 18, Ariana, 18, and Ava, 4, from their union.

Staci, 44, is a Lipscomb Ala. native and Shades Valley High School grad. She attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham [UAB], where she earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s in business administration. Staci is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and works as a Realtor brokered by Keller Williams Vestavia.

Undrez, 49, is a Fairfield native and Fairfield High School grad. He attended The University of Montevallo where he majored in elementary education and became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Undrez is the branch manager for NDI Office Furniture, and DJs under the moniker Dre Live on the side.

“You Had Me at Hello’’ highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future “Hello’’ column, or know someone, please send nominations to Barnett Wright bwright@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.

Birmingham Personal Injury Attorney | Guster Law Firm, LLC

How Birmingham Promise Fair Provides Students with Path to Higher Ed and Workforce Careers

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Birmingham Times
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Birmingham Promise hosts a college and career fair for local students Thursday, Oct. 11, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Ruth Serven Smith/AL.com)

By Breonna Atkins | batkins@al.com

Birmingham City Schools students crowded Boutwell Auditorium Thursday, eager to talk to the variety of colleges and employers who had also packed the room.

Birmingham Promise’s Scholarship Fair provided Birmingham City Schools students the opportunity to talk to colleges, universities and work-force career paths. Students from area high schools had the chance to grab merchandise and informational pamphlets that are offered from the institution they spoke to, as well as an in person conversation with the spokesperson for that institution. With a variety of different colleges and universities from all over as well as workforce jobs, this fair pushed students in the direction of making choices for their futures.

Promise, founded in 2019, connects city students with paid workforce experiences and college scholarships.

“This type of fair is definitely needed,” Mayor Randall Woodfin said in an interview. “When it comes to exposure and opportunity, unfortunately our children don’t have it in spades like a lot of other children do. For Birmingham Promise to partner with Birmingham City Schools to have this fair so students can take time away from school to actually see representatives, colleges and universities in real-time is a big deal. We also need to do something similar for our military branches, career technical education and those who don’t want to go to a career institution.”

Jackson-Olin High School senior Kyler Hameen (left) plans to become a pediatrician. She told AL.com reporting intern Breonna Atkins (right) that the Birmingham Promise career fair on Oct. 11 helped her consider more college and scholarship options. (Ruth Serven Smith, AL.com)

Students with careers and majors already in mind talked to colleges and universities that could potentially help them in their career or are big on their major. Students also had the chance to put out feelers, and see if they had any interest in a different college, university, major or joining the workforce. Students had the freedom to envision themselves in a specific college, university or working a job, and making the next decision in their future.

“The fair is great and the crowd surprised me,” said Jackson-Olin senior, Na’kia Dansby. “This fair is helping everyone, students are interested and having fun talking to colleges as well as seeing their workforce opportunities.”

Dansby said she is interested in becoming a doctor. She plans to go to college and said she met someone at the fair who plans on helping her become a pediatrician.

“The fair helps students that are undecided figure out what they want to do with their future,” said Jackson-Olin senior Kyler Hameen.

Hameen plans to attend college for nursing, and said in the next five to 10 years she will be a registered nurse.

Birmingham Promise also offers internships and apprenticeships that you can apply for on their website. Students can also learn more about Birmingham Promise scholarships here.

Editor’s note: Breonna Atkins is a Birmingham Promise program participant. She reported on the event for AL.com.

Minority-Owned Firm Selected as Lead Consultant for $21.7 Million Urban Trail Project in Birmingham

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Birmingham Times
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Bolaji Kukoyi is the president of Dynamic Civil Solutions, a community-focused engineering firm that was selected to be the lead consultant on a new urban trail in the city of Birmingham. (Dynamic Civil Solutions)

birminghamal.gov

When 17-year-old Bolaji Kukoyi migrated to Birmingham from Lagos, Nigeria, failure was not an option, he said. With a one-way ticket to travel nearly 6,000 miles from home, he had to find success among a city he had never known.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “I just knew I wanted to be a part of something big and bigger than myself.”

He attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham, studied mathematics and civil engineering. “I took it one day at a time,” he said. “Doors opened. Doors closed.”

Today, 27 years later, not only has Kukoyi found success, but he will play a major role in the future development of Birmingham. He is the president of Dynamic Civil Solutions, a community-focused engineering firm that was recently selected to be the lead consultant on a transformative new urban trail in the city of Birmingham.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $21.7 million to the City of Birmingham to develop a comprehensive trail system that serves not only as a modern improvement for Birmingham, but also as a living tribute to the rich history of civil rights struggle and progress within Birmingham’s historic communities. The Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads project will create a 3.16-mile urban trail that follows along the landscape of what was a pivotal battleground for America’s Civil Rights Movement. It will connect Smithfield and Graymont, some of Birmingham’s poorest and most underserved neighborhoods, to everyday necessities and downtown by creating streets that are livable, fun, and safe for all people—regardless of age, ability or mode of transportation.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he said. “This is not just a trail project. It has to do with the storytelling of where Birmingham has been and what Birmingham is capable of being; all while uniting people along the trail. This will reunite the communities that have been divided by all the infrastructure and create equal access to everything and be welcoming for all.”

This corridor will celebrate, honor, and revitalize Smithfield, the west side of Birmingham, and the Civil Rights District. It will be the spine of a growing multimodal transportation network that unifies many neighborhoods of western Birmingham to downtown and will be a main connector to the Red Rock Trail System, Birmingham’s regional urban trail system.

“The competition was fierce,” said Christina Argo, deputy director for the Department of Transportation, but Kukoyi’s team of experts was undeniable.

As a minority business owner, Kukoyi was thrilled to be selected. This is his first time being the lead on a project of this magnitude. “Kudos to Birmingham. Kudos to the city,” he said. “I am hoping this is the first of many, not just for DCS but for other minority businesses.”

“I hope that this is a catalyst that spurs revitalization and says to the world, ‘Come to Birmingham,’” Argo said.

“Our role is to help Birmingham realize their vision,” Kukoyi said, noting that it will begin with lots of community input. “We want to engage the community and hear people out. We want to hear their stories and let those stories dictate our design.”

The design process should take up to 18 months. Beginning in January 2025, the public will be invited to share their input in this process. Overall, the project should be complete some time in 2028. For more information, go to www.birminghamal.gov/transporation/raise.

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Filed by 2 Birmingham Water Works Board Members Against Chairwoman

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Birmingham Times
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BWW Chair Tereshia Huffman said the board is committed to the highest ethical standards that are the basis of the directors' pledge. (Barnett Wright, The Birmingham Times)

By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times

A Jefferson County Judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by two Birmingham Water Works Board members against Board Chair Tereshia Huffman.

George Munchus had filed a motion this summer to join fellow board member Lucien Blankenship’s lawsuit against the utility which alleged Huffman blocked Blankenship from receiving his $1,000 monthly stipend, AL.com reported in June.

George Munchus

Munchus and Blankenship alleged their monthly payments were denied because they refused to sign a “loyalty pledge” and filed suit.

BWW passed a “self-governing policy” in April 2023 that includes significant new ethics requirements and training for board members and said any board members who violated the policy would forfeit their expense allowance until they complied. Munchus said he had been denied the stipend for more than a year because he refused to sign the board’s policy.

On Thursday, Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Javan Patton dismissed the case.

“We are pleased with the court moving quickly to dismiss this case,” Huffman said in a statement to The Birmingham Times. “Our board is committed to being held to the highest ethical standards, and that is the basis of our directors’ pledge.  Moving forward, we will continue to focus on providing high-quality water and customer care to those we serve.”

Munchus, the longest serving member of the water works board, on late Sunday said, “no comment … except this issue is not yet over.” Efforts to reach Blankenship were unsuccessful.

Blankenship filed suit alleging that Huffman and the utility’s former General Manager Michael Johnson were negligent and a violated the Fair Standards Labor Act by stopping the utility’s board allowance payments to Blankenship last year.

Lucien Blankenship

Blankenship asked a judge to force the BWWB to pay “the full amount of unpaid meeting expenses” plus damages and attorney’s fees. Munchus filed a motion to intervene as an additional plaintiff in that suit.

The self-governing policy passed in April 2023 requires board members within 60 days of adopting the policy:

  • Receive in-person training from the Alabama Ethics Commission on the State Ethics Act
  • Receive training on parliamentary procedure
  • Receive training on the Alabama Open Meetings Act, Public Records Act, Competitive Bidding Act, and Public Works Act

Huffman has said, “Anyone who reads the BWWB’s Director Pledge will agree that there are no statements included within it which could be considered unreasonable or unexpected by the public. Pledging to the public, in writing, that our board will adhere to Alabama’s ethics laws and not repeat the mistakes of prior boards is a meaningful step in the right direction.”

Dr. Jesse J. Lewis Sr. Inducted into U. of Alabama’s Communication Hall of Fame

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Birmingham Times
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Dr. Jesse J. Lewis Sr., founder and publisher emeritus of The Birmingham Times, said he was "most appreciative" to be inducted into the University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences Hall of Fame. (University of Alabama)

By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times

Dr. Jesse J. Lewis Sr., founder and publisher emeritus of The Birmingham Times, was inducted last week along with three others into the University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences Hall of Fame.

Dr. Jesse J. Lewis Sr. (University of Alabama)

In 1954, Lewis founded Jesse J. Lewis and Associates, the country’s first Black-owned advertising agency and in 1963 launched The Birmingham Times, a weekly newspaper dedicated to serving the Black community, which he led for 30 years and is still in business as the Birmingham Times Media Group. Lewis is now president and CEO of The Lewis Group, a political project and policy consulting firm.

“I have been to programs similar to this one over my lifetime, but I can say this is one of the greatest,” Lewis told The Birmingham Times. “I am most appreciative of receiving this honor … being inducted into the Hall of Fame.”

Lewis and the three other inductees distinguished professionals were recognized for their exceptional contributions to the fields of communication and library and information science.

“In the C&IS Hall of Fame, we honor individuals who changed the world through their work in communication and information,” Dr. Brian Butler, dean of the College of Communication and Information Sciences, said. “This year we are recognizing four amazing individuals who have overcome challenges to become leaders who transformed their professions, their organizations and their communities.”

A World War II veteran, Lewis enlisted in the Army at 16 and served as an infantry soldier during the European Operation. After returning home, he completed high school and enrolled at Miles College, where he earned a degree in accounting and business administration.

Lewis also earned a master’s degree from Troy State University and a doctorate from Atlanta University. He later served as president of Lawson State Community College, furthering his commitment to education and community service. He has owned or been part of at least 17 different businesses over the course of his career.

In addition to Lewis, the 23rd class of C&IS Hall of Fame honorees includes Dr. Elizabeth Aversa, a leader in library and information sciences; Robert “Bob” Cohn, an award-winning journalist and founder of global public relations firm Cohn & Wolfe (now Burson); and Christi Parsons, former White House correspondent and mentor to the next generation of journalists.

Here’s a closer look at the honorees:

Dr. Elizabeth Aversa (University of Alabama)

Dr. Elizabeth Aversa served as professor and director of the School of Library and Information Studies at The University of Alabama from 2003 to 2011. She played a pivotal role in launching innovative online program options for the Master of Library and Information Studies degree, transforming the educational landscape for future librarians. Aversa has received numerous honors, including Alabama Librarian of the Year in 2011, the ALISE Award for Professional Service in 2005 and the American Library Association’s Beta Phi Mu Award in 2013.

After retirement, Aversa served as president of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UA and became the founding president of the UA Opera Guild in 2013. She actively volunteers with the Sarasota Opera House and the UA Opera Guild.

Bob Cohn (University of Alabama)

Bob Cohn, an award-winning journalist, storyteller and entrepreneur, will be honored posthumously. A U.S. Air Force veteran, Cohn attended The University of Alabama, where he studied communications and served as editor of the student newspaper, The Crimson White. After graduation, he covered pivotal Civil Rights events for the Montgomery Advertiser. His intrepid reporting during the Freedom Rides and other social movements of the 1960s earned him numerous accolades, including 14 news writing awards from the Associated Press and United Press International and being named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in photography.

Christi Parsons (University of Alabama)

Christi Parsons has made significant contributions to political reporting and journalism education throughout her career. An Alabama native, Parsons graduated with a bachelor’s degree in news editorial from The University of Alabama. Parsons covered city, state and national politics for eight newspapers, including The Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. While at the Chicago Tribune, her team’s groundbreaking work on wrongful convictions in Illinois earned prestigious recognition and played a crucial role in ending the death penalty in the state.

As a White House correspondent for the Los Angeles Times from 2008 to 2018, she wrote the final press pool report documenting the end of the Obama administration. Her peers in Washington, D.C., elected her president of the White House Correspondents’ Association during the 2014-2015 term. Parsons also served as assistant managing editor at CNN’s Washington Bureau. Parsons currently resides in suburban Washington, D.C., where she is on the faculty at the University of Maryland and directs the Capital News Service’s Annapolis bureau.

Rep. Sewell Delivers $600,000 to Alabama Regional Medical Services to Combat Mental Health Crisis

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Birmingham Times
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U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, center; presents a $600,000 check to Alabama Regional Medical Services (ARMS) CEO Ted Greer, third from right, along with members of his executive team to help expand the facility’s mental health and substance use services. (Sym Posey, The Birmingham Times)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell on Friday presented $600,000 to Alabama Regional Medical Services (ARMS) to help expand the facility’s mental health and substance use services and combat the mental health and opioid crises.

“This is a happy day for this organization, and the City of Birmingham,” said Ted Greer, CEO of ARMS. “We see the violence that’s happening in our community. We see families who are distraught for many reasons. One being because they don’t have the resources that they need. … We’re finally going to have some resources in our community, right here in the city of Birmingham to offer our patients, our clients, all of that.”

Sewell said she has made it her mission to bring federal dollars back to her Congressional district to make the community “safer, healthier, and more prosperous,” she said.

“At Alabama Regional Medical Services, you all were the true heroes and sheroes of the pandemic, and we are forever grateful to your profound sacrifice both physically and emotionally in the name of keeping us safe,” Sewell said. “When our most vulnerable Alabamians needed care, it is our community health centers who stand in the gap.”

ARMS provides low-cost health care services and facilities to people who can’t afford to pay or who lack insurance.

A 2024 report by Mental Health America found that most people with a substance use disorder in the U.S. are not receiving treatment. According to the report, one in five youth had at least one major depressive episode in the last year — with over half not receiving treatment, and 10 percent of adults with a mental illness are uninsured.

In Alabama, 41 percent of adults sought medical treatment for a mental health issue between 2017-2019, according to the 2020 state health assessment. Mental health and substance abuse is ranked as the first health indicator in the state, meaning residents and organizations deemed it to be the most important health issue in Alabama.

Birmingham’s Family Fun Center One Step Closer to Opening on the West Side

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Birmingham Times
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birminghamal.gov

The City of Birmingham approved an ordinance this week authorizing the Public Athletic, Cultural and Entertainment Facilities (PACE) board to serve as the fiscal agent for the construction of the forthcoming $15 million family fun center in West End. With today’s approval, a groundbreaking is expected within 30 days.

“This is a great day for the families of Birmingham,” said Mayor Randall L. Woodfin. “No longer will residents have to look outside our city for a safe, fun place to enjoy with loved ones. This center will not only bring new revenue to the area, but also a new, exciting energy that will invigorate the community and beyond.”

Cornell Wesley, director of Innovation and Economic Opportunity agreed: “I think about two words: relief and excitement. Relief in that it has been two years in the making. And, excitement for the community and Birminghamians at large and what this will yield, not only for the west side of Birmingham, but for the city itself.”

The family fun center will be a 20,000 sq. ft. city-owned facility featuring a skating rink, jump park, e-sports center, bowling alley, food court, and more. The five-member PACE board serves as a funding unit for the City of Birmingham and will lead in the hiring of contractors, vendors, etc. for this project. The city has entered into the same type of agreement with PACE for construction projects for the Regions Ball Park and Rickwood Field.

“We will walk hand and glove with our PACE board to identify our general contractor,” Wesley said. “Once the contractor has been identified it will be an 18-month build.”

For City of Birmingham updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and NextDoor. Text BHAMREADY to 888-777 for important city updates.

Virta Health, Alabama Football Great, Raise Awareness of Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity in Birmingham

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Birmingham Times
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From left: Mashala Jackson; former Alabama star Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Jenna Kuykendall. Jackson and Kuykendall both served as brand ambassadors for Virta Health this week. (Mason Erwin Photo)

The Birmingham Times

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